Woot! Woot!

CHS and Manestream Hotmail at DAD '13

The best part about Dressage is that you never stop learning. Ever. Some people go back to the academic world and further their degree certification in Business. While others go back and expand their knowledge in Healthcare and Nutrition. Riders and Trainers at the top levels of sport have an amazing amount of knowledge that the share with others under their tutelage. I will continuously say how fortunate I am to have been accepted as a student of Catherine Haddad Staller several times over the past few years.

These photos are of the beautiful Pinnacle Farm in Califon, NJ where Catherine had her summer base. I was fortunate to spend a week learning more about her training system and stable management after DAD this fall.

Her riders helped emphasize the importance of being physically fit! A strong core is the root of our strength as riders as well as the ability to isolate and utilize individual muscle(s) and body parts - all of which plays into being more effective and kind riders! 

If your aids are not activated in contradiction of one another, the horse can 'hear' what you are asking them to do! Putting it another way - don't kick/squeeze/pull all at the same time! 

You'll confuse the horse!

Wakanda showing 3rd level at Blue Goose over the summer

Working with Catherine at Hilltop with Wyatt

So with most of a fall and part of a winter of planking and crunches and some training of different horses under my belt, Wyatt and Wendy (aka Wakanda) and I will be heading to sunnier weather to study with Catherine some more! 

I'll be a little bit north but it's the biggest 'name' in the area!

I had thought about having a 'Loxahatchee Or Bust!' sign to hold up - but haven't had time to make it - plus I am too excited to wait any longer to make the big announcement!!! I'm going back to Grad School in my chosen field of study - Top Level Dressage!!! Woohoooo! :) I'm so excited!!! (and grateful! and fortunate! and blessed!! and excited!!!!)

That brings up teaching - if any of my students want to snag a lesson before I leave - get in touch ASAP! The trailer is getting cleaned out today and I'm starting the packing process! I'll be home in the beginning of March to resume teaching with a whole new box of training tools to share with everyone.

I will be blogging about my daily adventures and what each horse does - with photos of course! Videos will happen as I can find a warm body to hold the iPhone! It's going to be a struggle to remember everything that I learn each day without a journal in hand - but I'll do my best to share what I am learning!!

Check back here (or on FB) for other farm news to be added frequently as I have to report back to my full time trainer/breeder/owners of the horses - Anne and Bill Rawle! They will be manning the homefront and keeping business rolling while I am away...and to say I'm eternally grateful to have this opportunity is a massive understatement! (can't stress that enough!!) I am so, so, so lucky to be able to leave home with our horses and go study with a Master for this length of time.

So on that note - it's time to get to my crunches and planking! Stay warm, stay supple, stay focused!

~Happy Riding!~